Equip Mental Health Services

09/01/2026

If you or someone you know is in crisis, you're not alone. Support is available.

07/01/2026

Sensory Modulation is the use of a person's senses to change how they feel. When we're in a state of extreme emotion, we can't always use our brains to switch these feelings off. You can't calm down just by telling yourself to. That's when we can use our senses and we all instinctively use sensory modulation automatically:

When someone is stressed we make them a cup of tea and sit down for a chat

When we are angry or agitated, we may feel like getting outside and going for a walk or a run to release stress

Read more about Sensory Modulation and how to bring it into your day to day

To mark World Occupational Therapy Day (27 October), our kaimahi Karen and Jennifer both Occupational Therapists, hosted a sensory modulation information session for staff at HQ. The theme for this year’s World OT Day was “Occupational Therapy in Action”, and the session highlighted sensory mo...

04/01/2026

Are you on LinkedIn? We’d love to connect

Equip Mental Health Services | 175 followers on LinkedIn. Pathways to a brighter future for people with experience of mental illness. Moemoeā ngā wawata. | Equip is a leading mental health organisation in the greater Auckland region, providing an innovative care model, practical support, and educa...

01/01/2026

Have you set a New Year's resolution? No doubt, ever since you were a kid, you’ve heard everyone around you talking about their goals for the New Year. Someone wants to go to the gym every day, save money for that overseas holiday, buy a new car or quit smoking. It’s an age old tradition to set a New Year’s resolution. But how effective are they really, and do many people actually see them through?

There are so many factors that will determine the chances of us achieving our goals and they’re still not fully understood, even by the experts.

Feel like diving a bit deeper into the subject? Check out our latest article on New Year's Resolutions in our Kete Hauora / Wellness Hub

New Year’s resolutions can be successful, but why do most of us find it so hard to follow through with them?

30/12/2025

Anyone can feel lonely. But did you know that adults aged over 65 and young people aged 15–24 are most at risk?

If you feel lonely for too long, it can actually affect your physical health too.

Loneliness is a painful feeling that stems from feeling disconnected from important relationships. Even with lots of social contact, you can still feel lonely if your need for connection isn't met.

Loneliness is present for many at this time of year. So perhaps check in on your neighbours, your friends, and don't forget the young people in your life. Give them your time and really check in.

Of course, if you're out and about today, smile at people too. You just never know who might need to feel seen right now.

29/12/2025

As the 2025 chapter comes to an end, we want to take a moment to check in with our Equip whānau - our kaimahi, partners, tangata whaiora, and the whānau who walk alongside them.

For some, this season brings rest and connection. For others, it can feel long, loud, or lonely. Please know you're not alone and you don't have to have everything figured out right now.

At the heart of our mahi is community - showing up for each other in big ways and small. Sometimes a win is a breakthrough. Other times, it's simply getting through the day. All of it matters.

We see them. We celebrate them. We celebrate you.

It's been a big year. 2025 is also the year we farewelled Naomi Cowan, acknowledging our gratitude for her compassionate, heart-led leadership ( https://www.equip.net.nz/news/naomi-cowan-poroporoaki-farewell ) and warmly welcome our new CEO, Michael Douglas, as we eagerly look ahead to the future. Michael brings a wealth of experience and a clear vision that aligns with our mission.

When we reflect on the year that's been, we're reminded that even in the hardest seasons, there is always a light ahead, even when it feels distant. We invite you to share your own stories or moments from this year with us to celebrate our collective journey and the diverse experiences within our community. Your reflections and insights can help us all find inspiration and strength as we continue to move forward together.

Together, with aroha and care, we keep moving forward - one step at a time.

However you're arriving at the end of the year, we're glad you're here.

He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata.

Ngā mihi nunui o te wā from the Equip team 🤍

If you need support, visit equip.net.nz or https://mentalhealth.org.nz/helplines

24/10/2025

As we come to the end of a tense week for many, you might be feeling anxious.

What is happening when you’re anxious or feel panicky?

When you’re anxious or scared, your body releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol.

In situations of real danger, this release of hormones can help you take action to stay safe. But this release doesn’t operate on a scale system, so it means that you can feel symptoms of anxiety, even when you are safe. Sometimes, this increase in stress hormones can be sudden and so intense that it causes a panic attack.

Everyone experiences anxiety differently, and there are heaps of ways to manage anxiety in the long term. But what can you do to deal with anxiety in the here and now, if you don’t already have a plan or previous experiences to recognise your symptoms and triggers?

Have a look through these suggestions and let us know if there’s something in particular that works for you.

Our thoughts are with everyone who has had a particularly rough week - especially those who’ve lost a day’s pay due to strikes or are affected by severe weather events.

Enjoy the long weekend!

16/10/2025

Are we all remembering to take micro breaks during the work day, whether you're working from home or in the office?

It's so important to rest your eyes and stretch your body. But moving your body isn’t just exercise - it clears the head and helps improve your mood, too.

So this is your reminder. E tu - stand up, stretch, shift your gaze and take that reset.

15/10/2025

Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa.

Let us all keep close together, not wide apart.

Māori Proverb, Daily Inspo, Quote of the Day, Mental Health is Real, Mental Wellness, Healing Journey, Words to Live By, Neurodivergent, Mental Wellness, Positive Vibes, Healing Journey, Mental Health Awareness, Mental Health Aoteroa New Zealand, Tautoko, Whakatauki

13/10/2025

Connections keep us steady. But it's one thing to hear people telling us to keep in touch with others and another to take action and make it happen. So here's an idea...

Every Tuesday once the Monday grind is over and before the Wednesday hump is here - (or it could be any day really), have a time booked in your calendar to remind you to call someone. Make sure it's someone who lifts your spirits, and leaves you with a smile on your face.

So pick up the phone and call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while. Even a short kōrero counts AND... if they don't pick up - kei te pai tērā - send them a message to say you were thinking of them!

So, add a recurring appointment to your calendar now and let us know who you'll reach out to today.

12/10/2025

That’s a wrap on Mental Health Awareness Week, but… the journey continues and we honour all of you who leaned in, showed kindness, and made space to connect 🌱

So let’s keep going! Because mental health awareness needs to be every day, of every month!

09/10/2025

Keep Learning /Me Ako Tonu for Mental Health Awareness Week!

At Equip, Mental Health Awareness Week is every day. So this we’ve put some practical suggestions together for how to bring the Five Ways to Wellbeing into your every day - ia rā, ia rā. We hope they'll inspire you to make it an everyday thing too!

But today is also World Mental Health Day and we wanted to talk about resilience. Resilience isn’t about never feeling stressed or knocked down - it’s about how we respond when we do. Resilience grows through small, consistent actions like reaching out for support, staying connected to what grounds us, and practising self-kindness when things get tough. Like a muscle, the more we use it, the stronger it gets. So keep going, and me ako tonu 💚

Here are some of the ways you can keep learning today:

⌁ Join the waitlist for the Equip Mental Health First Aid Workshop https://www.equip.net.nz/mental-health-first-aid
⌁ Learn the National Anthem in Te Reo
⌁ Apply to upskill through distance learning or consider kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face)
⌁ Find a micro course online in mindfulness, seed saving, local ecology or a mahi / work related courses – the internet is your oyster!
⌁ Find a new recipe every week!
⌁ Head to our website for inspiration on what to read!
⌁ Listen to a new podcast and keep a playlist of podcasts to come back to. You’ll find a list of podcasts to get started with in our Wellness Hub https://www.equip.net.nz/resources/podcasts
⌁ Create a “book swap”. Ask each person to bring a book
⌁ Karakia to start your day, open or close a meeting with. Find a list of commonly used karakia here https://www.equip.net.nz/resources/karakia
⌁ Increase your te reo Māori vocab with apps like Kupu or Drops. Borrow Māori Made Easy from your library or check for local beginner classes.
⌁ Find a parenting course. We can recommend The Parenting Place to get you started
⌁ ‘How to Draw a….’ Youtube tutorials open a window to a new creative you! You can search on almost anything from ‘How to draw a realistic mountain scene’ to ‘How to draw a butterfly’ to ‘How to draw realistic facial features’

Let us know what else we should add!